Moses Bloom

1833-1893. Clothier, banker and legislator whose first public office in 1860 was aldermen at age 27. Born in France, he arrived in Iowa City in 1857, becoming the first long-time clothier. After serving as Iowa City mayor during 1874, he was elected to two terms as a state legislator, securing a “permanent annual endowment” of $20,000 for the university, a feat attempted numerous times previously to no avail. A superb public speaker, he is noted for an address he made at the train depot from atop a box car to men departing for Union Army service in the Civil War.